Page 132 of Savage Crown

Rylan turns on him. "If you’re here to tell me to let her die, I will slit your throat where you stand."

Vael exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Believe me, I don’t want her dead either because she’s clearly important to you," Vael mutters. "But I do know we need to move. Now."

I push myself up, ignoring the fire in my ribs.

Rylan’s hand immediately presses against my shoulder, holding me down.

"You're not going anywhere."

I grit my teeth. "Neither are you if you don’t listen."

Vael sighs, shaking his head. "Nhilian’s men will be looking for us. They won’t stop."

"Let them come," Rylan snarls.

Vael laughs, humorless. "You’re angry, not stupid. You know as well as I do that we can’t stay here. We need to move. We need to run."

No.

I can’t run.

Not when everything is at stake.

Rylan stiffens beside me, reading my thoughts before I even say them.

"Don’t," he warns.

I hold his gaze.

"We can’t run, Rylan."

His nostrils flare, his jaw tightening.

"We don’t have another choice," Vael cuts in.

"We do," I say firmly. "We end this."

His fingers tighten on my wrist, thumb brushing over my pulse.

He doesn’t look at Vael when he speaks.

He only looks at me. "Then we fight," he murmurs.

I nod, even as a shiver runs through me.

There is no turning back now.

This will end in blood.

I just hope it won’t be ours.

46

RYLAN

Seraphina is too damn stubborn.